FUN WITH A MONSTER

A school-aged boy learns to face his fear of monsters in Fleming’s picture book.

Henry, a young boy with light skin and brown hair, is afraid of the dark. While he gets ready for bed, he checks his bedroom closely and declares, “Now that it’s dark, / and I feel kind of sleepy, / I search through my bedroom for anything creepy.” After Henry’s mother lovingly tucks him into bed and turns out the light, Henry tries to sleep, but when he opens one eye, he sees a shadow of a monster on the wall that’s “hairy and big,” and “at least six feet tall!” Instead of panicking or calling his parents, Henry recognizes that his fear of monsters is all in his head, allowing him to control the imaginary creature so it’s not so frightening anymore: “If I made up this beast, if he’s not here at all, / I can make my own rules, I can make him real small.” Fleming writes in effective rhyming stanzas that show how realistic the fear of the dark at bedtime may be for many youngsters. Geyer’s colorful illustrations show Henry’s evolving emotional journey, first as happy at playtime, then apprehensive at nightfall, and sad the next morning.

A lighthearted fantasy rhyming picture book perfect for the emergent young reader.